Louisville Bats Notes: 5-19-19

Game 43, Away 23
Louisville Bats (17-25) at Buffalo Bisons (16-22)
RHP Lucas Sims (2-0, 4.23) vs. RHP Andrew Sopko (0-0, 0.00)
1:05 PM | Sunday, May 19, 2019 | Sahlen Field
LISTEN: Nick Curran, 790 KRD; iHeartRadio.com; iHeart app

ROAD TRIP FINALE: The Bats and Bisons meet for the final time at Sahlen Field this season, with the Bats looking to avoid their second series sweep and also tying their season-high 5-game losing streak. Four of the Bats' last 6 losses have been by one-run, including each of the first 2 games of the Buffalo series. Today, International League strikeout leader Lucas Sims leads the Bats in their final road game before heading home to start a 7-game homestand on Tuesday.
AGAINST BUFFALO: Louisville looks to avoid being swept against Buffalo for the first time since June 27-29, 2016 at home, and the first time at Buffalo since May 17-20, 2005. Last season, Louisville did not play a single game at Sahlen Field (then named Coca-Cola Field) due to inclement weather from April 16-18. There were 2 cancellations and one postponement, with the game being made up at Louisville Slugger Field with the Bats as the "road" team in game two of a doubleheader on July 24. Friday night was Louisville's first game at Buffalo since July 30, 2017.
TRANSACTIONS RECAP: Louisville has been involved in a number of transactions over the past few days, with the Reds recalling OF Phillip Ervin, as well as recalling and then optioning LHP Cody Reed. The Bats added a pair of pitchers from Class AA Chattanooga, yesterday's starter RHP Rob Wooten and LHP Juan Martinez. Louisville also gained an outfielder in Aristides Aquino, who went 2-for-4 yesterday in his first game back from the injured list (right shoulder sprain) since April 21. With Reed and also IF Josh VanMeter, who was also optioned, on the way - the Bats will need to make a pair of 25-man roster moves prior to Tuesday, with 27 players.
LONGHI HITS TWO HOMERS: Nick Longhi was one of the offense's bright spots in a 4-3 loss, hitting 2 home runs for the first multi-homer game of his career. It was the Bats' seventh multi-homer game as a team this season, already surpassing the 6 they had a season ago. Longhi is batting .419 (18-for-43) in 12 games in May, after batting just .233 (17-for-73) in 20 April games.
LOSING STREAK: With a loss today, the Bats would tie their season-long 5-game losing streak, which occurred from April 21-26 at Indianapolis (4/21), vs. Durham (4/23-4/25) and vs. Norfolk (4/26). The losing streak also involved the club's only series sweep of the season vs. Durham, which the Bats hope to avoid adding to on Sunday. Louisville was last swept in a road series from August 13-15 last season, losing 3 straight to Gwinnett.
WOOOO: Right-hander Rob Wooten made his 2019 Bats debut with a start on Saturday, going 4.0 innings and allowing 2 runs on 3 hits, walking none and striking out 3 on 55 pitches (36 strikes). It was Wooten's first Louisville appearance of the season and eighth overall dating back to 2017. He seemingly fills the rotation spot left by Odrisamer Despaigne, who opted out of his contract on Thursday.
NEVER OUT OF IT: Saturday marked the 10th time (4/5, 4/9, 4/11, 4/14, 4/15, 4/16, 4/26, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18) this season that Louisville came back from a multi-run deficit to either tie or take the lead, going 4-6 in those games, and the games with an asterisk signaling victories. Yesterday, the Bats trailed 2-0 before Longhi tied up the game with a two-run blast in the sixth inning off Buffalo reliever Thomas Pannone.